Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

[bryan the rocker]

Hi guys,


1) Do you think the 189 dollars Price tag for
a Retro Sonic 808 Overdrive (TS-808 clone) is worth it ?........Your Opinions ?


http://proguitarshop.com/store/effec...ive-pedal-p-51
Less Compression than the Youtube vid



2) Would you buy one ?




3) How does it compare to other tubescreamer clones ?




4) Is the Retro Sonic 808 Overdrive the Best Sub $ 200 tubescreamer clone ?


From the Retro Sonic Site:

This unit is built with metal film resistors and caps for the best fidelity possible - This caught my attention.



Thanks.

 

[LoFiBrian]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth it ?

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth it ?

I have owned one and while its a well built and slightly upgraded TS808...

There are a million out there!

If money is a concern get a BBE green screamer for $60 on ebay. I have played them side by side and the BBE won! its a TS808 variant with a TL072cp opamp and some other tweaks.

if tone is a concern...I can think of 10 other sub $200 pedals that eat it for lunch...

But if you want a TS808 with true bypass in a small package with some upgrades and tweaks...drop the cash...

 

[bryan the rocker]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth it ?

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth it ?

If money is a concern get a BBE green screamer for $60 on ebay. I have played them side by side and the BBE won! its a TS808 variant with a TL072cp opamp and some other tweaks.

You mean you prefer the BBE Green Screamer over the Retro Sonic 808 Overdrive Tonewise ?



Interesting :scratchch

 

[LoFiBrian]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

yes sir and i have more overdrive pedals than your local guitar center.

 

[LoFiBrian]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4uGZ3mxcDE

 

[LoFiBrian]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/BBE-Green-Screa...tem&pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item53e08d89c3

 

[bryan the rocker]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

yes sir and i have more overdrive pedals than your local guitar center.

Thanks bro

 

[bryan the rocker]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

Yeah, BBE Green Screamer according to their site is Hardwire bypass, which is not True Bypass, the term True bypass is equivalent to True Hardwire Bypass (What MXR and Dunlop calls its True Bypass)

http://www.jimdunlop.com/blog/?p=384



And the TS808HW for $ 350 - No way !.... maybe if I am Playing Guitar for a Living

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

Retro Sonic stuff is well made...however $189 is a lot of coin for a TS clone.

The reissue TS-808 from Ibanez sounds killer and is only $169.

You can also get an Analogman modded TS-9, which sounds as good or better than the reissue TS808 for $165 or an AnalogMan modded Maxon OD-9, which is the same as as reissue TS-9 but with true bypass switching for $185.

I'd stack any of those 3 (reissue 808, AM TS9 or am OD9) up aginst the Retro Sonic any day.

Also, if you wanted to save a little coin and had time to wait a used reissue TS-9 can be had pretty cheep...I've seen them for as little as $45 and then send it to AM for those mods, thats another $45...you're no in and out for less than a bill...

 

[bryan the rocker]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

Yeah, checked them out a week ago, the Analogman and the Keeley Mods TS got good reviews



I was led to believe that the Retro Sonic TS 808 is the best Sub $ 200 TS808 clone,

by the

1) Reviews, Video Clips, Sound Clips
2) Owned the RS Phaser, and played the RS Chorus.... excellent sounding
3) Its a Retro Sonic product, High qualtiy components, good build quality, RS products have that Perfected or Improved Clone Aura to me.
4) The RS 808 Ovedrive is build from the Ground up, it does not need to be Modded to sound great unlike some Boss or Ibanez TS pedals,


so I ignored those Mod pedals, but clearly from LoFi and TGWIF posts, the Retro Sonic TS808 is

good, but not the best sub $ 200 pedal.


Thanks

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

Yeah, the Analogman and the Keeley Mods TS have good reviews

I get called AM fanboi and I'll wear it proudly but the truth is I wouldn't suggest AM if his stuff wasn't tops.

Just keep this in mind...

The Keeley modded TS pedals are modded form 808 specs in one way or another...more gain, mo elow end, less mid hump...etc.

If you want a tweaked out TS the Keeley is fine.

The AM is dead on TS808 specs...bass and treble roll off, mid hump, compression, low gain...

If you want the sound of a $600+ vintage TS808 with the $600+price tag go AM all day!

 

[bryan the rocker]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

Thanks TGWIF and LoFi, judging by your experiences playing lots of pedals, your opinions are

greatly appreciated

 

[LoFiBrian]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

FYI ive opened my green screamer and its well made for chinese product and IS TRUE BYPASS!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3053/3047113280_7689b874e9_o.jpg

check out the 3pdt switch!

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

ts 808. Wow - all you need is a mythical genuine ts 808 and you will suddenly be a better player. OR - if you buy a boutique clone you will be even better than that!
no seriously - any ts clone will do. You can always mod them to taste anyway.
Have a look at the GFS pedals - excellent bang for $$$.
or build your own clone -BYOC.com
or a cheap option: digitech bad monkey
there are heaps of clones out there. dont spend too much.

 

[bryan the rocker]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

ts 808. Wow - all you need is a mythical genuine ts 808 and you will suddenly be a better player. OR - if you buy a boutique clone you will be even better than that!

Thats not my point

Its like, why buy a Squire Strat for $349, if you could save up for months and buy a Fender American Strat for $1149, If your going to buy a pedal, get the best pedal you can afford at the moment, so no regrets in the future..... or the thought that, I should have saved and waited a little longer and bought that higher quality pedal.

Yeah the V Sound Route 808 and GFS pedals are worth a look, specially the GFS Greenie (TS clone)

 

[bryan the rocker]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

I know it depends entirely on the Listener


but I am right to say that, the Best Tubecreamer Clone under $200

are the Analogman Mod TS and the Keeley Mod TS

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

God, what is with all these threads man?
I've already mentioned the 40 DOLLAR Ibanez TS-7 is literally two components away from a TS-808. And honestly the difference between the TS-7 and the 808 is so goddamn small anyway, that most people find that modding it to 808 specs didn't real add anything special.
Don't waste money on this voodoo "vintage" or "retro" garbage and just get something that works.
Sorry, but if anyone spent more than what the Ibanez TS-7 is worth for a Tube Screamer, you're an idiot with more money than sense

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

God, what is with all these threads man?
I've already mentioned the 40 DOLLAR Ibanez TS-7 is literally two components away from a TS-808. And honestly the difference between the TS-7 and the 808 is so goddamn small anyway, that most people find that modding it to 808 specs didn't real add anything special.
Don't waste money on this voodoo "vintage" or "retro" garbage and just get something that works.
Sorry, but if anyone spent more than what the Ibanez TS-7 is worth for a Tube Screamer, you're an idiot with more money than sense

Totally.:haha:
We all know that a squier and an american standard are quite different.
An "insert brand name here" and a vintage ts 808 are not.
However you are not an idiot if you decide to spend the xtra cash. What is important is whether you enjoy using that particular piece of equipment (especially considering that they all sound more or less the same.). If you really want to buy that particular pedal then just do it. Its a fine pedal. Then mod it to make it suit what you are after it if you want - or not - it really doesn't matter too much. The original 808 is not some amazing holy grail and neither are any of the boutique clones. It was just the first of the many pedals that used that basic circuit.
A tube screamer or clone is a very useful pedal. Just get the one you like the "vibe" of the best. Its just some resistors, capacitors and stuff put in a box with a switch and 3 knobs. Don't lose too much sleep over which one you get.

 

[man-in-moon]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

i have owned 2 retro sonic pedals. i can honestly say i will not buy another one new. i would buy used however. i had a chorus and a phase. both of them had dead switches out of the box. i am not saying anything bad about them but that was just my experience. i have owned alot of TS based pedals and my favorite was actually a lovepedal kanji. after that my favorite is a maxon OD9.
the only 808 i have tried is the reissue but i found it more harsh with my setup. i tend to go more for the variants than i do the clones or copies. i use a lot of mids on my amp and i do not like the extra bump a regular TS adds.

 

[bryan the rocker]

Re: Retro Sonic Overdrive, worth the price ?

with all these threads man?
I've already mentioned the 40 DOLLAR Ibanez TS-7 is literally two components away from a TS-808. And honestly the difference between the TS-7 and the 808 is so goddamn small anyway, that most people find that modding it to 808 specs didn't real add anything special.
Don't waste money on this voodoo "vintage" or "retro" garbage and just get something that works.
Sorry, but if anyone spent more than what the Ibanez TS-7 is worth for a Tube Screamer, you're an idiot with more money than sense

Sorry, I am just looking for the other opinions of the Forum Bros.


your posts are appreciated and noted,


Thanks